No distraction?

Cowboys coach Bill Parcells expects the rest of the team to adopt a similar attitude, although he admitted it's not always easy to ignore Eagles fans.

"Their fans are good, passionate," Parcells said. "I've been there a lot. They have kind of earned my respect other than the egg throwing (at the team buses)."

Still, Parcells dismissed the notion the Cowboys would be walking into a war zone.

"We're not going to Vietnam here now," Parcells said.

True, but there's no overstating how much Owens is hated in Philadelphia after his behavior last season tore apart the Eagles' locker room.

Owens joined the Cowboys in March after spending the last two seasons with Philadelphia. He helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl after the 2004 season, but the club suspended him midway through last season for criticizing the organization and quarterback Donovan McNabb.

McNabb takes shot

During a news conference in Philadelphia on Wednesday, McNabb took a thinly veiled shot at Owens when he was asked if it's difficult to focus on the Cowboys with all the hype surrounding Owens' return.

"Guys understand we're not competing against one player," McNabb said. "One guy doesn't make a team. Break a team, maybe."

Despite their feud, McNabb sent a text message to Owens last week.

"The situation that happened, I never would wish that on anyone," McNabb said. "I just sent prayers and blessings his way."